John Welsh, June 12th, 1973
On Tuesday, June 12, 1973 at 9:21 PM, Platoon “A” of Engine 10, Ladder 11, and Battalion 5 responded to a Local Alarm for a fire located at 1223 Washington Avenue, occupied by the Patrick H. Levey ink manufacturing plant. At 9:23 PM, Box 561, 13th & Carpenter was struck. A total of eight alarms were struck for this fire.
At approximately 10:10 PM, several explosions occurred. One explosion blew out the rear wall of a building on Kimball Street. A total of 38 firemen were injured. Firefighter Robert J. Malley of Engine 24 and Firefighter John Welsh of Ladder 5 were killed when they became buried underneath a mass of debris.
At about 12:30 AM on June 13, 1973, their bodies were recovered.
On July 25, 1973, the cause of the fire was reported after an intensive investigation. It was reported that an employee disobeyed a no smoking sign, and a spark from a cigarette ignited flammable liquid which had spilled onto the factory floor.
John Welsh, June 12th, 1973
On Tuesday, June 12, 1973 at 9:21 PM, Platoon “A” of Engine 10, Ladder 11, and Battalion 5 responded to a Local Alarm for a fire located at 1223 Washington Avenue, occupied by the Patrick H. Levey ink manufacturing plant. At 9:23 PM, Box 561, 13th & Carpenter was struck. A total of eight alarms were struck for this fire.
At approximately 10:10 PM, several explosions occurred. One explosion blew out the rear wall of a building on Kimball Street. A total of 38 firemen were injured. Firefighter Robert J. Malley of Engine 24 and Firefighter John Welsh of Ladder 5 were killed when they became buried underneath a mass of debris.
At about 12:30 AM on June 13, 1973, their bodies were recovered.
On July 25, 1973, the cause of the fire was reported after an intensive investigation. It was reported that an employee disobeyed a no smoking sign, and a spark from a cigarette ignited flammable liquid which had spilled onto the factory floor.
Career History
Appointed to Fire Training School - September 21, 1965
Transferred to Engine 4 - November 22, 1965
Transferred to Ladder 5 - June 27, 1966